Field
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to an image forming apparatus having a function for customizing for each user, and a control method thereof.
Description of the Related Art
Recent image forming apparatuses include various functions, and operation contents performed by users have also become more complex.
In general, an image forming apparatus is often shared by some users. There is thus an auto clear function for automatically clearing, if a user has changed setting values of the image forming apparatus, the changed setting values after a predetermined time. A subsequent user is then prevented from using the image forming apparatus without noticing that the setting values have been changed. In such a use case, it is necessary for a user to select a desired setting screen from an initial menu of the image forming apparatus each time the user uses the image forming apparatus and change the setting values. As a result, even if setting values of setting information regularly used by each user are fixed, it is necessary for each user to set the same setting values every time, and thus it becomes burdensome.
For example, it is assumed that a setting value of display language information is set to Japanese in an image forming apparatus. A user who desires to use the image forming apparatus with the display language set to English is required to perform the following operation. The user changes the setting value of display language information from Japanese to English, uses the desired function, and then changes the setting value of display language information from English to Japanese.
To address the above-described situation, there is an image forming apparatus which includes a customize function to be used by a user to set individual setting values. The initial values and behavior of the image forming apparatus can thus be changed according to the individual setting values, and use of the functions can be limited to an individual user who registers a shortcut function.
However, it is desirable that setting values of setting information for an individual user are automatically set to setting information of the image forming apparatus, for further improving user-friendliness. However, if the setting values of individual user are left to be set, it may not be useful for a different user when the different user uses the image forming apparatus. It is thus desirable that the setting information of the image forming apparatus is automatically changed to common setting values when a user ends using the image forming apparatus.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-26972 discusses a technique for associating language identification information indicating a type of language with personal authentication data, and switching a language to be used on an operation screen or printing of a report to a language indicated by the associated language identification information. According to the above-described technique, when execution of a job has been completed, a non-operating state has continued for a predetermined time, or a job input operation has been completed after the language has been switched, the language used on the operation screen is switched back to the previous language.
The image forming apparatus on which the setting value of display language information can be set for each user performs an authentication process (i.e., a login process) for identifying a user when the user uses the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus performs a process for switching the setting value of display language information to a setting value of setting information for the user, at the time of login. Then, when the user ends using the image forming apparatus, the user logs out (hereinafter, the process for changing from the logged-in state to a not logged-in state will be referred to as a logout process). The image forming apparatus switches the setting value of display language information to a setting value of common display language information, at the time of logout.
Further, the image forming apparatus is capable of employing integrated circuit (IC) card authentication or biometrics authentication as an authentication process for identifying a user. A user brings an IC card close to a receiving unit of the image forming apparatus, or a part of the body relating to the biometrics authentication close to an identification unit of the image forming apparatus, and can thus log into the image forming apparatus.
According to the above-described configuration, a user can interrupt another user by the IC card authentication or the biometrics authentication and log into the image forming apparatus without using operation keys while another user is using the image forming apparatus.
In such a case, the logout process of a previous user is performed as the authentication process, and the login process of an interrupting user is then performed. As a result, the image forming apparatus switches the display language to a common display language when the previous user logs out and further switches the display language to a display language of login user when the interrupting user logs in. An unnecessarily switching process is thus involved, and a login operation becomes delayed.
For example, when a user A is logged in the image forming apparatus using French as the display language, a user B whose setting value of display language is English may log in. The image forming apparatus once switches the display language to the common display language (e.g., Japanese) when performing the logout process and then switches the display language to English when the user B logs in.
Further, there is an image forming apparatus capable of switching setting values of setting information other than the display language. With such an image forming apparatus, setting values of all types of setting information are switched to setting values of common setting information when a user logs out. As a result, excessive processing is involved and the login operation becomes delayed.